ScamScore Methodology — How We Rate Moving Companies
Transparency matters when making safety claims. This page explains exactly how we calculate the MoveSafe ScamScore, what data we use, and what the verdicts mean. Nothing is hidden — the formula is public so you can evaluate it yourself.
Overview
The ScamScore is a composite risk rating from 0 (safest) to 100 (highest risk). It is calculated entirely from objective data in the FMCSA's federal database — no subjective ratings, no paid placements, no customer reviews. The score reflects how a company looks on paper according to the federal government's own safety records.
Scoring Factors
Each factor adds points to the score. Points are cumulative, capped at 100.
| Factor | Points Added | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Unsatisfactory safety rating | +40 | The lowest FMCSA rating. Indicates the company failed a federal compliance review and has inadequate safety management. |
| Conditional safety rating | +25 | The middle FMCSA rating. The company has safety deficiencies that need correcting. |
| No insurance on file | +25 | Without active insurance, your belongings have no financial protection if damaged, lost, or stolen during the move. |
| Any fatal crashes (24 months) | +15 | Involvement in any crash resulting in death is a serious safety indicator. |
| Fatal crash count (scaled) | +count × 5 (max 20) | Additional points scale with the number of fatal crashes, up to a cap of 20 points. |
| Injury crash count (scaled) | +count × 2 (max 15) | Crashes causing injuries add points proportionally, up to 15. |
| Out-of-service order (last 3 years) | +10 | A federal order requiring the carrier to stop operating indicates serious compliance failures. |
The maximum possible score is 100. In practice, a company would need multiple serious safety failures to reach that level.
Verdict Classifications
After calculating the ScamScore, we assign one of four verdicts:
Score 0–19
The company has a clean federal safety record. Satisfactory rating, active insurance, and no significant crash history. This is the majority of legitimate movers.
Score 20–44
The company has some risk factors — perhaps a Conditional safety rating, some crash history, or missing insurance. Not necessarily a scam, but worth investigating further before committing.
Score 45–69
Multiple red flags are present. The combination of issues suggests a pattern of safety and compliance failures. We recommend researching alternatives.
Score 70–100
Critical safety failures. These companies have the worst combination of federal safety indicators — often including Unsatisfactory ratings, no insurance, fatal crashes, and out-of-service orders. We strongly recommend choosing a different mover.
What ScamScore Does Not Measure
- Customer satisfaction. We do not incorporate reviews or ratings from consumers. A company can have a low ScamScore and still provide poor service.
- Pricing fairness. ScamScore does not evaluate whether a company's quotes are reasonable.
- Local-only operations. Companies that only operate within a single state may not appear in the FMCSA database.
- Recentness of issues. If a company had a fatal crash 23 months ago and has since improved, the crash still counts in the current 24-month window.
Data Updates
We refresh our data from the FMCSA API periodically. Each company page shows a "last reviewed" date indicating when we last pulled their record. If you believe data is outdated or incorrect, use the report form on the company's page and we will investigate.